Date Posted:

Friday, October 16, 2015

ELKINS - Musicians and dancers put forth their best performances to vie for top awards in the WV Open Fiddle, Banjo and Flatfoot Dance Contest in the Augusta Dance Pavilion on the campus of Davis & Elkins College. Winners are, from left, Kaïa Kater-Hurst of Ontario, Canada, first place flatfoot dance; Andrew Carroll of Bunker Hill, W.Va., second place flatfoot dance; Marina Madden of Richmond, Va., third place flatfoot dance; Kiara Williams of Rock Cave, W.Va., Best Overall Youth Prize in banjo and fiddle; John D. Morris of Ivydale, W.Va., Best Overall Senior Prize in banjo and fiddle, third place old-time banjo and second place fiddle; Andy FitzGibbon of Montrose, W.Va., first place old-time banjo and first place fiddle; and Ben Townsend of Elkins, second place old-time banjo and third place fiddle. The event was organized by the Augusta Heritage Center of Davis & Elkins College with help from sponsors Smakula Fretted Instruments, Christy Tribble CPA AC, Jivaka Wellness Center and several anonymous donors. More activities are in store from Augusta this month. Registration is open for instrument and craft classes during October Old-Time Week, October 18-23, and plans for a celebration of West Virginia old-time music and dance during the Fiddlers’ Reunion Weekend, October 23-24, are underway. For additional information, call the Augusta Heritage Center Office at 304-637-1209 or visit www.AugustaHeritageCenter.org.

Related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Davis & Elkins College is located in Elkins, 2 hours east of Charleston, 3 hours south of Pittsburgh and 4 hours west of Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit the College website at www.dewv.edu or call 304-637-1243.